Ashes 2019, England vs Australia: ‘It is weird Aussies trying to be nice to you’ – Ben Stokes expects fiery Test series

With the first Ashes Test just around the corner, mind games are going around in full flow with England’s World Cup winning hero Ben Stokes latest to enter the ring. Ahead of the blockbuster first Test at Edgbaston in Birmingham on Thursday, Stokes stated he is not able to get his head around Australian cricket team being nice to others. Stokes — who has been reinstated as the vice-captain of the Test side — said both teams are desperate to win and that could lead to multiple flashpoints during the course of the five-match series.

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“It is weird Aussies trying to be nice to you,” Stokes was quoted as saying by Wisden. “Once you get out in the middle and cross the white line, the real competitive side of both teams will come out and Ashes are the biggest Test series played in the world.”

“There is always something that happens between teams in Ashes series and I don’t think this will be any different.

“Both teams are desperate to win, both sets of players are desperate to perform because Ashes series are where you get scrutinised and criticised more, or praised if you do well,” he added.

Stokes also feels that winning the first match will set the tone for rest of the tournament as coming back from 1-0 down against a potent outfit like Australia can be troublesome.

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“I think that first morning of any series is when you want to stamp your authority as a team with bat and ball. Getting off to a good start can make it flow throughout the series,” Stokes said.

“You want to be the team on top, and win that first day because hopefully that can carry on into the next four. If you go 1-0 down in a series, it can be hard to come back from, so you want to start very well.”